News

HI to present on ARF thought leader panel

May 4, 2012

Graham Technology Fellow Clint Beharry and HI Assistant Director Eleanor Cleverly will partner with Wayne St. Amand, Crimson Hexagon‘s Vice President of Marketing to discuss new developments and tools for measuring the influence of television through social media.

Their talk at the Advertising Research Foundation will introduce top entertainment executives to a “lean forward” approach to understanding and measuring television engagement through social media analysis. The talk is part of the Advertising Research Foundation’s “Thought Leader” series. For more information and to RSVP for the May 15 panel, visit ARF’s upcoming events listing.

Filed Under: Events, Partners, Speaking Engagements

HI to discuss social TV at Benchmark conference

April 17, 2012

Graham Technology fellow Clint Beharry and Assistant Director Eleanor Cleverly will present at the first ever Benchmark Conference on May 9, 2012. Benchmark is a social media measurement conference aimed at sparking conversation between industry and technology leaders.

The session, “Lean Forward: Measuring and Understanding the Influence of Social TV,” will discuss findings from HI’s partnership with social media analysis platform Crimson Hexagon. Beharry and Cleverly will present insights into TV viewing and social media usage, with a special focus on social-issue entertainment.

Filed Under: Events, Partners, Speaking Engagements

Former HI Science Fellow assesses Invisible Children

April 5, 2012

Beth Karlin, HI’s 2011 Junior Science Fellow, presented preliminary findings from her recent study of Invisible Children at the 2012 International Studies Convention in San Diego. Karlin’s paper, Power through Participation: Impacts of Youth Involvement in Invisible Children, examines how the organization uses media to mobilize and engage youth to promote social change.

Karlin’s extensive survey represents one of the most systematic studies of Invisible Children, an organization that recently captured worldwide media attention with the release of its highly viral “Kony 2012″ video. Her paper discusses ways in which Invisible Children’s network has increased civic capacity among its young members and supporters.

To download a draft of the paper, click here.

Filed Under: Publications, Speaking Engagements

HI board member featured in Ad Age

February 29, 2012

HI board member Jonah Peretti (top left) made the cover of this week’s Ad Age as a member of the “Digital A-List.” The profile details the recent success of Buzzfeed, one of the web’s most innovative social news sites. Peretti’s approach to digital advertising tailors campaigns to encourage viral sharing on social networks.

Peretti has helped guide HI’s vision through his digital expertise. As a board member, he provides guidance and support for HI’s mission of measuring the influence of entertainment.

Filed Under: Press

HI Director speaks on UnionDocs panel

February 21, 2012

On February 12 Deputy Director Debika Shome spoke at UnionDocs, a center for documentary art in Brooklyn. The panel, “Can Documentaries Save the World? Assessing, Funding, and Harnessing the Impact of Nonfiction Film,” prompted discussion among filmmakers, philanthropists, and activists on the role of documentaries in producing social change.

Shome discussed insights from HI evaluations and techniques for measuring social impact. She provided the panel with recent examples of successful documentary projects and outreach strategies. Video highlights from the panel are available here.

Filed Under: Speaking Engagements

Johnson and Karlin publish in M/C Journal

January 27, 2012

HI’s 2011 Junior Science Fellow Beth Karlin, along with Executive Director John S. Johnson, co-authored an article published in the December issue of M/C Journal. “Measuring impact: The importance of evaluation for documentary film campaigns” (full text) argues for a social science approach to understanding the influence of documentary film campaigns. As emerging technologies change film form and practice, social science evaluations are connecting audiences, funders, and filmmakers.

M/C Journal is a peer-reviewed publication exploring the meeting of media and culture. December’s “Impact” issue investigates how research can influence academic, political, and cultural agendas.

Filed Under: Publications

Director Shome speaks at Third World Newsreel

October 27, 2011

On October 25, Deputy Director Debika Shome spoke at Third World Newsreel, a media arts organization committed to social justice issues.

Her talk, “Analyzing the Impact of Your Film” drew on insights from HI’s Waiting for “Superman” study. The talk provided insights on how low-budget, activist filmmakers can incorporate effective evaluation strategies into their artistic and outreach processes.

Filed Under: Speaking Engagements

Dalai Lama reads CRED guide

October 24, 2011

This month, one of the world’s foremost spiritual leaders was delivered The Psychology of Climate Change Communication, a guide co-authored in 2009 by Deputy Director Debika Shome, together with HI’s Columbia University research partner, the Center for Research on Environmental Decisions (CRED).

CRED Director Elke Weber met with Dalai Lama Tenzin Gyatso during the Mind and Life Conference, held October 17-21 in Dharamsala, India. Weber presented the guide as part of a larger dialogue between environmental scholars, scientists, and activists.

The 14th Dalai Lama has been outspoken in his commitment to the environment, and the conference examined issues of “ecology, ethics, and interdependence.” New York Times Dot Earth blogger Andrew Revkin reported on the conference, providing additional context and a short video of the event.